2G0 PROFESSOR SMITH'S JOURNAL. 



on board believed it to be one of His Majesty's ships, whicli 

 were known to be stationed here for the preventing of 

 the slave trade. All were immediately busy with writing 

 letters. On coming up, however, we felt no small disap- 

 pointment on being informed that it was an East India- 

 man going to St. Helena. I had indulged a hope of sooth- 

 ing my poor mother's anxiety on my account. We were 

 now at a distance of two or three leagues from the coast, 

 of which we had a distinct view. The shore consists of 

 black perpendicular rocks, with yellov/ish streaks running 

 in the same direction, and mixed with larger spots of the 

 same colour ; and lower down resembling beds of pumice- 

 stone. Behind these rocks a broad ridge arises covered 

 with trees, some of which scattered here and there greatly 

 over-topped the rest. In some places we observed plains 

 of considerable extent, and of a yellowish colour, pro- 

 bably owing to the dry grass ; we observed also clouds of 

 smoke, proving that the custom of setting dry grass on fire 

 is even here })revalent. Several leaves and pieces of wood 

 floated past on the water. About the parallel of Cape 

 Yamba, and at some distance from the shore, is a conical 

 hill, the height of which, though it is the highest part of 

 an extensive ridge, did not appear to exceed 1000 feet. 

 The longitude of this coast is very erroneously marked 

 on the charts, so that according to the most recent, and 

 we may suppose the best, it appeared from several good 

 lunar observations, we should have been sailing inland to 

 a considerable distance. 



June 14th. A dead albatros (a bird rarely to be met 



